Family
by LBrandon
Summary: "Family" is a collection of short stories about the life of Thalia and Luke before and after they met. It is about their troubled relationship with their mothers, the absence of fathers, the struggle for survival and especially the bond that connected the two – a bond that they believed to be indestructible, only to discover otherwise.
1. Thalia

Anyone who saw her sleeping like that would say that she was the most beautiful child they've ever seen. And it was probably true. There was no way not to be charmed by the peaceful expression that took her face as she dreamed, lying in the middle of the huge double bed in her room. She had her face perfectly designed. Almost... _divine_. In fact, the only element that seemed unfit to her angelic face was a cut above the eyebrow, not yet completely healed.

The sun burst through the gaps of the window and reached Thalia's face, waking her up. She blinked lazily and turned in bed.

When she moved her neck, a throbbing pain reached her forehead. She put her hand to her eyebrow, feeling the cut with the fingertips. The memories of the night before came back to her mind like a movie. She remembered to have noticed how her mother seemed to be in an endless decadence when she saw her on the couch, surrounded by bottles of vodka and tequila. Also remembered that she had asked her mother to go to bed while trying to take the cup from her hand, just to be pushed violently against the coffee table.

The girl got up from the bed, avoiding sudden movements, and walked slowly to the bathroom. On the floor there was a towel soaked with blood – the one she used to stop her bleeding. The image of a red cloth clashing in the huge white bathroom was disturbing.

Thalia closed the door and stared at the mirror her for long minutes. She ran his hand through her hair falling like a black waterfall down her back, trying to undo the knots. The locks used to be smooth - she remembered when her mother loved to comb her hair until it was impeccably straigh to the waist. Thalia asked why her hair was pit black, so different from her mother's, and listened carefully as the woman told her she had her hair and eyes like her father's. Her mother continued to brush as she described the father as a charming man who could be cold and authoritarian, but was also kind and considerate. "But what attracted me the most was the mystery", she once said.

However, those moments did not happen for months. Recently, Thalia could hear the mother alone muttering about a man she wished she had never met. A few days ago, hidden behind the kitchen counter, she saw her mother throwing bottles at the television that showed an image of herself advertising some famous brand, while cursing the man who had abandoned her and ruined her life.

The cut on her forehead was the final straw. The night before, after being thrown against the table, she ran into the bedroom and locked the door. Crying, she put in a backpack all the objects that she considered important or necessary, and decided she could not spend another day in that house.

She did not know where to go. She had never spoken to her father, except in her dreams. Dreams that she did not know if she could trust, but that seemed very real. Almost as if he wanted to tell her something.

Thalia knew that there was something unusual about her father. Something she felt she had inherited, and had brought her a lot of trouble, but had also taken her away from danger. And, lately, almost every night she dreamed of a quiet place where people like her could live safe.

She didn't know how to get there, but she was sure that, somehow, she'd find her way. The reflection in the mirror was scared, but not hesitant. Thalia opened the cabinet drawers in search of a brush, but what she found was another object, which suddenly became more interesting.

She took a deep breath and looked away from the mirror. Looking down, she gathered her hair behind her head and, trembling, took the silver scissors in her hand and cut it out completely, letting the black hair fall and spread in white tile.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Dear reader, please note that this fanfiction was originally written in Portuguese, my native language. I translated it by myself, so it's possible that you'll find some grammar errors. If you do, please let me know so I can fix it as soon as possible. Thank you.

If you find yourself interested, you can read the original fanfiction in portuguese here: _ fanfiction . com . br/historia/292243/Familia_Luke/ _**(no spaces)**


	2. Luke and Thalia

The girl was sitting at the entry of the small cave, gazing at the sea. It was actually a hiding place – _cave_ was just the name they had given to the gap between the stones they found to take shelter and rest for a few days.

If it was up to Luke, the three would keep moving without pause throughout the country until they found what they were looking for – even though they weren't sure of where it was. The boy hardly ever got tired, and could lie back and take long naps anywhere they stayed for more than ten minutes: trains, buses, park benches and restaurants.

Thalia would have followed his example and rested only when and where it was possible, but now they had company. Annabeth was only seven, and despite being extraordinarily intelligent and strong for her age, the two realized that it was not right to overburden a child that way.

Therefore, they were having more breaks they used to. When they got to that seaside town, with no money and no place to go, the only place they found was that space between two stones – large enough for the three to fit and protect themselves from the rain that would fall for the next two or three days.

Now, Annabeth and Luke were sleeping quietly on a thick blanket he had stolen from one of the town houses. Thalia could not explain, but Luke had this _ability_. That, Thalia was sure, had something to do with the boy's father. When Luke wanted to open a door, a safe or a lock, it would bend to his will. Almost as if they obeyed. The boy leaned on a door and it was enough to make it opened completely, allowing his passage.

Thalia thought it was fascinating. His opinion, however, was different. He hated to do it, but that day he had to. Luke hid behind a bush and waited for almost two whole hours until the owner of the huge blue house went out to work in his shining Maserati. When the car turned the corner, Luke ran to the entrance and touched the door. It gave in instantly, allowing him in.

Luke was so focused on picking what he needed and leaving right away that he didn't have time to admire the modernity of the electronic devices and the beauty of the furniture and crystal chandeliers in the house. He located the kitchen quickly and took care to steal only what was necessary: some cookie bags and bread, a bottle of orange juice and, just to please Thalia and Annabeth, the remains of a chocolate bar he found in the refrigerator.

In the bedroom, he opened the wardrobe and put in his backpack some sweaters and shirts for all three. Then chose the thickest blanket and wrapped, putting it under his arm. At last, he took some money from the drawer, making sure that it would be enough for them to survive for another couple of weeks.

With the backpack, he ran down the stairs and left the house, locking the door behind him, and hurried back to the hideout, where the two girls were waiting with some apprehension and hunger. As they saw the boy with blond hair heading in their direction, both opened their widest smiles. Luke was filled with joy, and that ensured him it was worth doing anything he could to make _his family_ happy.

After they ate two cookie bags and drank half the bottle of juice, Luke unrolled the huge blanket on the cave floor and wrapped one of the sweaters to make a pillow for Annabeth. The girl lay down on the makeshift bed and curled up. Luke lay down beside her, his head also resting on a sweater, and began to tell her a story. The girl fell asleep before he could finish. Thalia assured him he could take a nap too – she would watch them. He looked doubtful, but agreed to get some sleep after she promised she would wake him up if she was tired.

Now her thoughts were lost at sea, far away. From time to time, she'd turn to check the boy and the girl who slept with calm expressions in the back of the cave, as if to see if they were still there, safe.

Thalia felt certain fear of losing them. Never in her life until that moment she had attached to someone, and never had anyone she felt so much need to protect. She had found everything she needed those two – especially him – and it scared her to know that in their unstable lifestyle, nothing was constant. Even the little family that was built by them was threatened and could crumble at any time.

A lump formed in Thalia's throat when she pictured her life without them.

"Thalia?"

It was Luke. He had awoken and was sitting on the floor, watching the girl from few feet apart. She tried to ease the expression with a forced smile.

"I'm fine," she stated.

"You don't sound very convincing."

She looked down. Luke crawled close and sat beside her.

"What is it?" He asked gently, pulling Thalia's face and making her look at him. "You know you can tell me anything."

The lump returned to her throat. "I'm afraid," she confessed in a barely audible whisper. "You're all I have."

"It's okay," he whispered back, wrapping his arms around her. She sighed heavily, holding him. Thalia closed her eyes and inspired. The familiar smell of Luke filled her nose and made her feel a little calmer. "I'll always be with you," he continued. "I promise".

She rested her head on his shoulder. That was enough for now.

"Thank you."

They stayed like that for a few seconds in silence, until Luke gently let go.

"Now go to bed. I'll guard the door."

They both smiled. There was no door.

"No, it's okay," she guaranteed. "I can do it for a few more hours."

"You need to rest," he insisted. "Please."

Thalia just nodded. She lay where Luke had been minutes ago, still looking at him.

"I'll be right here when you wake up," he assured.

Thalia smirked. "I know."

She closed her eyes.


End file.
